Louver assemblies which include a plurality of vertically-spaced and horizontally-extending louver members are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,601 to McCabe discloses a louver assembly which is used as an air damper and includes a plurality of horizontally-extending louver slats which are pivotally mounted to be actuated between open and closed positions. In addition, the jambs, head, and sill are provided with fins to seal the peripheral edges of the assembly. However, in the '601 patent, the louver slats are mounted off center, so that the actuating section of each louver slat is much smaller than the closing section. In this manner, McCabe purposely balances each of the louver slats to permit ease of opening under wind-load conditions. This is contrary to the present invention. Also, in the '601 patent, the louver slats are not completely supported along their upper and lower longitudinal edges against opening, as in the present invention.
Accordingly, such prior art devices do not disclose mounting means for pivotally mounting the louver members, such that wind-load conditions operate to close the louver members more tightly, rather than permitting them to open more easily, and do not disclose means for providing complete support against opening for each louver member at its upper and lower edges. Moreover, such prior art arrangements do not disclose louver members which are constructed to cause any fluid which penetrates the closed louver assembly to flow away from the louver assembly.
Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved louver assembly which overcomes one or more of the aforesaid problems. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide a louver assembly wherein the individual louver members are each completely supported along their upper and lower longitudinal edges, as well as along their vertical edges, to prevent opening by inclement weather or by forced entry.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved louver assembly wherein each of the louver members is pivotally mounted off center, so that exterior wind conditions tend to close the louver members more tightly against inclement weather.